Zero Robin
by Reizod
Summary: With Falcon absent from the F-Zero grand prix, Jack Levin is determined win it all. But are his abilities enough? Chapter 7 : Memory Lane is up. A portion of the Levin's past is revealed. Check it out.
1. Enter Levin

I do not own F-Zero or its characters, nor do I intend to garner any profit from their use.

Zero Robin

Written by: Reizod

Chapter 1: Enter Jack Levin

He couldn't believe it. For the first time in five years, it happened: Captain Falcon was absent from the list of entrants in the F-Zero grand prix. Jack Levin's eyes widened as he reread the list of entries. There was no mistaking it. Falcon wasn't there.

Levin smiled to himself. He'd come to the F-Zero registry to check up on the competition, as he always did. Even though the thirty qualifying entrants changed with each grand prix, there were a few racers that usually made it in. Levin himself was one of them, as well as Blackbull, Goroh, and Gazelle. Even still, He and these other recurring racers weren't guaranteed entries. Falcon was different. He always made it in. Not only that, but he somehow always managed to win whatever grand prix he entered.

"_With Falcon out of the race, I might have a chance"_ He remembered the first time he'd entered the grand prix. _"Falcon was there then too. I'd qualified, but was no match for any of the veterans out on the course. If it weren't for my celebrity status, I don't think I would've gotten another chance." _He frowned _"But I did get another one. Several ones in fact. Each time I placed higher and higher, but no matter how I tried, I couldn't get into the top ten."_

Looking up, Levin scanned the registry lobby. He was wearing a long brown overcoat, and wide brimmed hat to mask his appearance. He'd done this so he could have some peace to think about the upcoming race. Though Levin didn't mind being popular, harrowing crowds of fans didn't help his thought processes. Tilting his hat slightly, Jack made his way out of the registry to his casual car. It was deep green hover car with an arrow shaped build. It was not the most unobtrusive thing in creation. Most cars were less arrow dynamically built, intended for pedestrian travel and such. Levin, even when incognito, couldn't allow himself to drive something that slow. Racing was an intrinsic part of him. He couldn't just forget that when he wasn't on the track. He had to at least have the ability to move fast, whatever it was he drove.

Jumping into the front seat, Levin threw off his coat and hat, both landing in the back seat of the car. Pressing the ignition, Levin revved the engines. The car responded with a high pitched whine, as it lifted itself off the ground. Jack then hit the accelerator and started on his way home. _"Even if she does get me from a to b in one piece" _He thought _"She'll never be anything like my Astro Robin" _

Levin arrived at his condo on the edge of Mute City. At the moment there was no one else there. Not that he was expecting there to be. Other than his butler, Luke Jameson, Levin was the only one who lived in this house. It was too late for the fans to be crowding around the entry gates, and he had made sure not to book any deals during the grand prix. _"I'd made that mistake once before" _Jack thought as he pulled into his driveway _"Couldn't focus on the race with that jazz in my head"_

Gathering his coat and hat, the celebrity racer locked his car and headed into the mezzanine of his condo. The floors were a sparkling white marble, registering the crystal blue coloring of the walls. Marble white stairs extended up to the crimson carpeted second floor, where Levin's room resided. Not bothering to hang up the coat or hat, Levin made his way up the stairs, a mixture of emotions running through him. Ever since that first race he'd run with the man, Levin knew he could never beat Falcon. It was this knowledge that held him back. Jack just couldn't put himself fully into the race, knowing that he'd lose. Even with a conscious effort to be at his best, Falcon's presence would cause him to choke. In that moment, Levin would miss a crucial boost, mess up on a slide, or lean too much into a turn, forfeiting whatever lead he had. _"But there's no Falcon this time. Just me and twenty-nine racers I know I can beat." _He frowned _"But what if I can't beat them? What if the reason I lost all those races was because I didn't have it in me?_

"Something troubling you sir?"

Levin looked up to see Luke at the top of the stairwell. He was gesturing toward Levin's coat and hat. "I daresay it's odd for you look so downcast"

"It's the grand prix" Jack replied handing Luke his items "I'm not sure if I've got what it takes. Not sure if I ever did."

Jameson folded the coat across his forearm "It isn't my place to say, myself being more of a spectator" He spun the hat on his index finger "But, I believe you have more of a chance than many I've seen" He rolled the hat across his shoulder and into his coat bearing arm. "But chance is nothing without belief"

Jack smiled "You'll have to teach me how to do that."

"To believe?"

"No, that hat trick of yours. It's very fancy. My fans would love it."

The butler bowed with a flourish "Another time perhaps sir. You should rest now."

"Maybe you're right, Luke" Jack replied, yawning "Good night"

"Pleasant dreams Mr. Levin"

Entering his room and flopping on the bed, Jack stared up at the ceiling deep in thought. _"Tomorrow's my chance. My chance to see just what kind of a racer I am. My chance to show everyone I'm more than just a pretty face."_ He closed eyes _"My chance to show myself I'm more than just a pretty face." _Slowly sleep overtook him, taking Levin to the phantom roads of his dreamscape.

"Hey, Jack."

"Wha?" Levin said opening his eyes, to an unfamiliar world. "Where am I?"

"On the track" said a voice.

"_I know that voice" _Thought Levin as he began to take in his surroundings. He was standing on a floating road, whose colors were in constant flux. The road itself had no guards on its sides and seemed to stretch forever into oblivion. Eventually, Levin's eye's set upon the source of the voice. Standing on the opposite side of the road was Captain Falcon. His F-zero machine, the _Blue Falcon_, lay just behind him engines already running.

"You think you can beat me?" Falcon challenged "You think you're the best?"

Levin didn't reply, not understanding what was happening at all.

"You're nothing compared to me." Falcon continued "I'm the best pilot, not you."

Suddenly, Levin recognized a soft mechanical hum behind him. He turned to see the _Astro Robin_ hovering sedately. The stock car shaped machine seemed to be beckoning him to get inside. Turning back, Jack saw that Falcon had already leapt into his vehicle

"I'll show you how weak your racing skills are." Falcon said as the hood of his cockpit closed.

Finally composing himself Levin cried "I'll show you I'm better than you think!"

With this, he leapt into his own machine, gunning the engines and pressing the ignition. In an instant, the two racers were off, flying down the rainbow straight-away at a feverish pace. Levin slammed the _Astro Robin's _boost control, shooting forward in a burst of speed. He could feel the G-forces mounting from inside the cockpit, slowly pressing him deeper and deeper into his seat. While still in the throes of the boost, he could hear Falcon catching up to him. Jack checked the rear view computer just in time to see the _Blue Falcon_ initiate its own boost. With a thunderous roar, the machine zoomed past, attaining the lead. _"No! I can't let him get ahead of me"_ Hitting the boost once more, Levin felt his insides rattle as the _Astro Robin_ jumped to an even higher speed than before. It was Levin's turn to shoot past his opponent, gaining a considerable lead. Then it appeared: A turn in the road. _"Going too fast! I'll overshoot the turn like this" _ Fervently grasping both sides of the steering wheel, Jack activated the both the left and right air brakes in hopes of slowing to a controllable speed. It wasn't enough. The _Astro Robin_ sailed off the track, spiraling into the oblivion below. Levin cried out, both in fear and frustration as he continued to plummet into the endless abyss. All the while, Falcon's voice was echoing in his head.

"_You'll never be good enough"_


	2. Midnight Rush

I do not own F-Zero or its characters, nor do I intend to garner any profit from their use.

Zero Robin

Written by: Reizod

Chapter 2: Midnight Rush

Levin awoke with a start. Perspiration dotted his visage, his exhalations sharp and short. For a long moment Levin did nothing, staring up at the ceiling with uncertain eyes.

"_What a nightmare. Thank goodness that was all it was"_

Just a dream. A very disconcerting dream, but a dream none the less. Slowly, Jack sat up in the darkness of his room. Though it could not be seen, a dark expression had alighted upon Jack's visage.

"_Even if it was just a dream, there's no denying it: If I raced Falcon right now, I'd be left in the dust, or worse become dust"_

Jack stood tentatively, his balance uneasy. He could feel his entire body shivering. Partly because he'd left the comfort of his bed, but mostly at how close this darkness was to the oblivion he'd fallen into.

"_I can't race like this! Got to clear my head"_

Not bothering to check the time on his alarm clock, Levin felt his way to his wardrobe. His eyes had adjusted just enough for him to grab his jump suit. Donning the suit, Jack muddled his way through the pitch black condo until he reached his garage.

"_A good run around the track, that's what I need"_

Jumping into the front seat of his leisure machine, Levin revved its engines, the sound giving him focus. He gripped the steering wheel of the machine tightly as he floored the accelerator. In a sudden burst of speed, the green machine shot out of the garage, swiftly negotiating the turns of Levin's entry road. Soon he was on the highway to mute city, cars and other obstacles mere blurs in his rearview mirror. He came to the winding bridge that entered the city.

Here was where he usually monitored his pace a bit. Though the turns on the road weren't sharp, they were long and connected, requiring a different kind of precision at high speeds. Tonight was different. Something was driving Levin past his mortal inhibitions. On this night, the celebrity racer boosted into the winding entry bridge. Cutting the engines, Levin allowed the momentum to carry him through the curve, using only the wheel to control the turn. Levin could feel the push of the momentum, seemingly trying to throw him and his machine off the road. Soon, the curvature of the bridge began to alter, turning in the direction that opposed Levin's drift. Reactivating the engines for only a moment, Jack aligned his machine with the curve, and floored the accelerator. He and his green machine fought the inertia built from the first turn until he was in a position to drift again. Once there he boosted into the turn, cutting the engines immediately afterward and riding the momentum once more. His journey across the bridge continued like this until he finally reached Mute City.

His nerves somewhat mollified by his drifting run on the Mute City bridge, Jack slowed to just beneath the speed limit. Though he doubted any cops would be out this late, Levin was still cautious. His celebrity status would allow a menial speeding ticket to explode into a citywide scandal. Anything and everything he did could be used as ammo for news and entertainment stations around the galaxy.

"_Thank goodness Luke is so confidential about the things I do. I don't know what I'd do without him"_

Luke had been Levin's butler ever since he'd bought the condo on the outskirts of Mute City. The man took his job very seriously and was seemingly never above any task asked of him. For that matter, Luke frequently did things before they were asked, knowing his employer quite well. His manner was friendly, yet dutiful toward Jack. To Luke, it was common courtesy that he not disclose any information concerning Jack's more private life.

"_That man is dedicated all right. Just like I should be now"_

When Jack arrived at the Mute City practice track it was still dark. A crescent moon beamed its luminescent light down upon the holding garages. Though many of them were non-descript, there were a few that had designs and insignias on their walls. These were the ones that had been reserved before hand, either for company backed or returning drivers. Levin's garage was of a light blue hue, with intermittent lightning insignias as well as yellow stripes adorning its walls. Upon entering, Levin brought up the lights, revealing his beloved _Astro Robin_.

The hovercar looked very much like the stock car racers from days long past. It was also blue, with a yellow racing stripe down its center. Spoilers extended from its back end. Jack gazed affectionately at his racer.

"_Been with me from the very beginning. The one thing I could always count on."_

A semblance of a smile on his face, Jack opened the _Astro Robin's_ cockpit and leapt inside. Unlike his leisure car, the _Astro Robin_ only had one seat, requiring the rest of the space for engines and racing equipment. The dashboard had a steering wheel in its center, on which the controls for the left and right air brakes were situated. To the left of the wheel was a computer monitor, set to display what was happening behind the racer. On the other side of the wheel was a status monitor, that kept track of the machine's engine, hull and shield integrity. Just behind the wheel was the speedometer and fuel gauge. The ignition for his ship was on the right side of his seat. It was akin to a gear shifter from the twentieth century. On left of the seat was an ejector mechanism, for use in only the most dire of situations. At his feet were three pedals: The main accelerator, the booster, and the main brake.

Levin sat back in his seat, laying his left hand upon the wheel and his right hand on the ignition. He raised it to engine level one of five. The _Astro Robin_ began hum in a low octave, its ionic levitation system activating. The propulsion engines whined as they came online. Gently pressuring the accelerator, Levin brought his machine out on to the practice track.

Under the light of a crescent moon, it could be seen that the track was in the shape of a large oval. This was the reason this track was often referred to as the Sonic Oval. It had another name however: The Winners Circle. This was where the victory lap for winning the entire grand prix was done.

As Levin eased the _Astro Robin _up to the starting line, he noticed another machine inching up the line. In the light of the moon, it's faded cobalt coloring could be seen. It was in the shape of a half-bullet, tapering at the front, yet widening to accommodate its engines in the back. Also on the back were two tail fins that stuck out like antennae.

"_Looks like I'm not the only one who can't sleep" _ Thought Jack _"Haven't seen that one before. Must be a new comer."_

The pilot of the other machine must have taken notice of Levin's presence. As soon as Levin reached the line, the other was already charging his engines.

"_So it's a race he wants. Let's see if this new guy is any good"_

Jack raised his engines to level 2, building the energy within them. He could hear the engines roar as they slowly gathered energy. His machine began to shake as the power continued to build. Another hum on a slightly higher octave than the ionic levitation system, added itself to the ambience, signifying shield activation. According to the monitor everything was good to go.

"All right _Astro Robin,_" Jack murmured as he clutched the shift "let's show this guy what we can do."

At that moment, Jack raised the engines to level three, causing a burst of acceleration. He reached one-thousand miles per hour easily within a few seconds. The outer shielding and the structuring of his jumpsuit protected Levin from the effects of such acceleration. He was still pushed deep into his seat, however. In the rearview monitor, Levin could see his opponent's faded vehicle closing in. _"Must be optimized for acceleration. That's a mistake on this course"_

They came upon the first of two turns in the Sonic Oval. Levin managed to slide into the turn maintaining his speed and hugging the corner. The cobalt opponent attempted a slide, but started too late ending up on the outer edge of the turn. This widened the gap between the two racers. This gap was only increased on the next straight away, as the _Astro Robin_'s top speed allowed it to gradually pull away from the opponent.

On the second turn, Levin executed another slide, this time allowing himself to drift toward the center of the road. This time the opponent managed to make a sharp slide, closing the distance slightly. However, the distance gained was lost in the straightaway that reached the finish line.

"_Lap 2" _Thought Levin _"Prime the boosters."_

With this, Jack raised the engines to level 4. At this level, power output was normal except in the fact that the engines could be forced to discharge energy from the shielding of the machine. It made the machine more vulnerable, but the increase in speed was usually worth the loss.

Jack slammed the boost pedal. The engines roared as the shield energy was expelled from them. Levin fought the inertia within the _Astro Robin_, Managing to stay upright as he rushed into the turn. Using the momentum from the boost, Levin let his feet leave the accelerator, sliding towards the center of the turn this time, and modifying his direction to match the turn's exit. He then activated the boost once more, executing an almost ninety degree change of direction. Jack felt the change in direction as he was practically thrown against the right side of his vehicle. In the following straight away, Levin boosted constantly, lowering his shields to half capacity. He could barely see the other racer in his rearview monitor now. Easing off the boost pedal, Jack slid into the next turn with ease. He coasted across the finish line, allowing his adversary to catch up.

"_Went a little overboard there." _Jack thought ruefully _"This guy is no Falcon. He has potential though…I think"_

To test his suspicions, Jack continued to coast on the straightaway. It was a perfect opportunity for his opponent to grab the lead. _"Will he do it?"_

Jack question was answered by loud whine and a rush of wind as the cobalt machine boosted past. _"Let's see you keep that lead"_

Activating his boosters once again, Jack modulated his speed just enough to manage a sharp entry into the first turn. The cobalt machine boosted into the turn, but its pilot was unable to manage the speed whilst in the turn. His turn started sharp, but ended with him on scraping the side of the road with his machine. He was still ahead however. On the straight away, the cobalt machine began to boost constantly.

"_He knows I can catch up." _Jack thought as he kept his foot off the boost _"This is the wrong response though."_

Soon the outer shielding on the opponent's machine began to show red. This was what Levin was waiting for. His opponent had depleted his boost to a dangerous level. To go anymore would be a mistake.

"_Boosting only helps in the right situation" _Thought Levin as he activated his own boost.

He easily passed the other racer, and seeing no reason to take it fast, coasted through the last turn and took a relaxed approach to the finish line. The sun was beginning to rise in the distance as Levin slowed his machine to a halt.

"_I may not be as good as Falcon, but maybe, just maybe I'll be able make it to the top this time."_

He looked up at the sun, as the other racer crossed the finish line. _"We'll see today I guess."_


	3. Enter Leon

I do not own F-Zero or its characters, nor do I intend to garner any profit from their use.

Zero Robin

Written by: Reizod

Chapter 3: Enter Leon

Light blanketed the Sonic Oval as morning arrived. After finishing an impromptu race with a new opponent in the pack of thirty, Jack felt his confidence rising with the sun.

"_I _can _do it. I can win the grand prix" _Jack thought as he returned his machine to his garage _"I have the skills. I've just got to use them when I get out there"_

Deactivating the _Astro Robin_'s engines, Levin ran a quick diagnostic check. The engines were in working order, and the shielding was in top form. There didn't appear to be any damage to the outer chases. All Levin had to do before the upcoming race was replenish the fuel reserves of his machine, and he'd be ready to go.

When the machine was fully powered down, Jack turned to exit the garage, and found that someone was blocking the way. A canine of humanoid form glared at Levin with one eye.

"Who are you?" the bipedal canine demanded.

Levin put on his celebrity smile. "Surely, you've heard of Jack Levin."

"Can't say that I have" replied the humanoid dog gruffly

Jack crossed his arms "You can't?"

"No"

Outwardly, Jack's smile didn't move an inch. Inwardly, however, the gears in his mind were turning madly. _"He doesn't know who I am? That's different. You'd think after the string of hit songs I did, my name would be everywhere. Guess there are parts of the galaxy even a celebrity can't reach. Still, this is a great opportunity."_

"Well, Jack's my name, whether you've heard of it or not." said Levin "I don't think I caught your name"

"I didn't throw it"

"_Not very friendly is he?" _thought Levin keeping his smiling façade intact. "We'll skip the introductions then." He ran a hand through his hair "What brings you to my humble racer's pad?"

A disgruntled expression appeared upon the other's face. "I want to know. How did you get so good?"

Surprise registered on Jack's visage for only a moment. Jack hadn't expected the canine to verbally recognize his skills. He'd seemed too proud for that. _"But then, I should know better than to go off my first impression of anyone"_ Levin's smile had faltered for a split second, but his opponent didn't seem to notice. "I've been racing for most of my life. For me not to be any good would be impossible."

"But you beat me."

"So?"

"I'm the best pilot on my planet, handpicked to race in the grand prix"

A word in that last statement caught Levin's attention. He held his hands up as he said "Hold on, the best _pilot_ on your planet? You mean air ships and like that?"

"Yes." The opponent replied, "Does that matter?"

"Are you kidding me?" Levin replied "Racing an F-zero machine, or even a standard hovercar is very different from flying an airship. You can't use one and expect to automatically excel at the other"

"You've flown an airship before?"

"I've had experience with them" In truth, Jack had quite a few piloting hours under his belt, due to a number of publicity stunts involving space travel sponsorships. He wasn't about to tell this new comer about them though. This was one of the few times someone other than his butler didn't treat him like a celebrity. Levin was enjoying the change of pace.

" It helps in some areas, but you've got to know your way around both an F-zero machine and an airship if you're going to use skills with one on the other"

The canine pilot scowled. "I knew it." he muttered, " I knew they'd made a mistake in choosing me." His eye narrowed. "My first taste of the competition and he toys with me on the race track."

Levin scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "_Did he mean to say that out loud?"_

"I can't represent my home like this." The canine grumbled as he turned to leave.

It was a kind of a pathetic sight really. Levin was almost certain this guy hadn't raced against any of the pro pilots before this morning. Hell, the guy probably hadn't raced against anyone that wasn't from his home planet. Now, after one demeaning race he was deflated. _"That's not how a racer should be. At least, that's not how I am." _ A brief flash of the dream he'd had the night before appeared unbidden in his mind _"Well, at least that's how I try not to be." _Levin thought as he pushed the image of the _Astro Robin _spiraling into oblivion out of his mind.

"Hey, Fuzzball!" Levin called

At this, the canine turned and glared daggers at the celebrity. "Don't call me that."

Levin shrugged "Just working with what I've got. You didn't throw me your name after all."

The canine pilot gave Levin an annoyed look before growling "My name is Leon."

"Alright Leon" Levin said with a smirk "I think you're being a little hard on yourself. After all, racing like this isn't easy. You can't expect to be the best without a loss here and there. Besides," Levin puffed his chest a little "I'm actually a pretty good racer. You'd need a lot of practice to beat me."

At this Leon's expression hardened. "To boast like that, you're either very good, or a terrible judge of your own skill level."

"_Might be a little bit of both" _Levin thought as he broadened his camera ready smile "Judge for yourself at the next race. I'm pretty sure you won't be disappointed."


	4. Skyferry

The sun had risen to its noonday position at the center of the sky when Levin returned to the Winner's Circle

I do not own F-zero nor do I intend to garner profit from the use of its intellectual properties

Zero Robin

Chapter 4

Skyferry

The sun had risen to its noonday position at the center of the sky when Levin returned to the Winner's Circle. He'd managed to catch a few fitful bursts of sleep on the way there as Luke had opted to chauffeur him there. After a few choice words of encouragement from the butler, Levin got one more practice lap in before driving the _Astro Robin_ out to 670th Avenue at the center of Mute City. It was here that the processional before the race would take place. Levin, having the thirteenth best time in the qualifying runs, was near the center of the four-lane racer parade. The crowds lining the sides of the city streets had gathered to watch as the Thirty racers glided past their avid fans. Levin kept his cockpit open and a game winning smile on his face for the fans.

The crowd's fervent cheers echoed throughout the sprawling metropolis, as the racers made their way to the Mute City skyferry. From there they would be flown to the race track, several miles into the troposphere. The skyferry was about the size of two city blocks, and had a garage large enough to hold all thirty competitor's machines and then some. It had a second level lounge where racers could relax before the race. The first level's security was top notch, with highly trained security guards and ever vigilant mobile sentry cameras, amongst other more dastardly methods of saboteur retribution.

Levin's thoughts were on the upcoming race as he slid the _Astro Robin_ into the ferry. The course was Twist Road, a fairly simple track to navigate. Still, it wasn't the course that would make this difficult. _Goroh's in the third starting position._ Levin thought as he stepped out of his machine and took in the army of ships that surrounded him. _He's never been one to play nice on the track. I'll have to be careful when I make my move to take first._ He laid an affectionate hand on the _Astro Robin_ before making his way up to the second level lounge. _Of course I'll have to make it to the top six first. That means dealing with BioRex and Pico, in positions eight and nine, not to mention Black Shadow... _Levin soon became lost in his thoughts about the race ahead as he stared out the lounge window. He didn't even notice when a slender dark skinned woman sauntered up beside him.

"Well, well," The woman quipped "a year older and a year wiser, and you still can't get over pre-race jitters."

Although he knew the voice of the woman speaking to him, Jack still jumped. "Don't do that!"

"Can't help it." She replied with a smirk "I'm a piranha after all. You just have to be more vigilant, little bird."

"Last I checked piranhas don't eat robins, Kate."

Kate gave Jack a playful slap on the back "Only if they don't happen to be in our territory, Jack-o."

Jack cringed. He really hated that nickname. He also hated that he couldn't come up with a suitable extension to "Kate" that pulled the same reaction out of her.

"Looking forward to the race?" Kate asked "I know I am, but then, you already knew that."

"Yeah" Jack said dryly, "I think I've got a chance this time."

Kate shook her head "You always say that."

Jack nodded "And you always reply the same way."

Kate chuckled "I know. Kind of sweet gig we've got going, eh Jack-o?"

Jack sighed "Why do you even bother with me, thirty-something-death-fish-woman?"

Kate didn't appear to be affected by the insult as she smiled and gripped Levin's shoulder reassuringly. "Same reason you deal with me, twenty-something-tiny-bird-man."

Jack sighed once more. He just couldn't win with this woman. Sobering up a bit, the older woman spoke once more. "You know, it's strange. I've raced these tracks for several years now, and I've never really sought after first. You, however, have been after it since day one."

Jack gave her a tired look "You gonna tell me to give it up?"

Kate smiled warmly "Nah. Little birds have to have dreams. How else are they supposed to fly?" She poked him in his chest with her elbow. "Eh, Jack-o?" With that she turned and headed to the bar at the center of the lounge.

Jack smiled to himself as he watched the woman stir up the other racers at the bar. Kate had managed to place in the top three of the grand prix on a few occasions. _Though even Kate herself thinks those were flukes. I'm not so sure. The way her Piranha weaves and dances across the track, you'd think she was trained by some kind of guru._ He crossed his arms. _I know I didn't think she was self taught when I first saw her race. Then again, I didn't know what to look for back then either. _The two had first met during a publicity stunt organized by the F-zero committee. To bolster Levin's popularity as a teen idol, and to revitalize Kate's fan basethe two were paired up for a pre-season performance. When Levin explained his love of racing to his fans, Kate took notice and challenged him to a race when the paparazzi were gone. Inexperienced and confounded by her unorthodox style, the little robin was smoked by the lithe piranha. _She chose to do it off camera for my sake. At the time, the only thing keeping me in the F-zero Grand Prix was my popularity. _He frowned as he found a small round table to sit down at. _Dunno if that's still the case though._ He clenched his fist. _That's why I've gotta do this. I've got to take first. I have to._

As he thought this something caught his eye. Over in a booth at one of the far corners of the lounge sat one very recognizable F-zero personality. He was a heavily muscled man who wore all black. His hands were clasped an appraising manner, just below his masked visage. The white slits of the mask gave quite the intimidating air to the him. It was an appearance befitting of the name Black Shadow. However, it wasn't Shadow that caused Levin's eyes to linger on the scene. Rather, it was the equally toned dark skinned man who sat opposite of Shadow that held Levin's attention. He knew that bald mug anywhere. _Michael Chain. Still wearing those same sunglasses from all those years ago._ It appeared that Shadow had finished speaking with Chain as he unclasped his hands and left with a self-assured swagger. Chain didn't appear to be in the same high spirits, raising a hand to his head as if to quell a headache.

Levin was about to call out to the man when a mechanized voice filled the lounge. "We will be arriving at Twist Road in five minutes. Racers should return to their vehicles and await release into the track. Good Luck"

Levin frowned. _No time to ask what happened with Chain just now. I'll have to ask after the race. For now I need to focus._

With that Levin made is way down to the first level.


	5. Rush Robin

High above the silent city writhes a meandering road

I do not own F-Zero nor do I intend to garner profit from the use of its characters.

High above the silent city writhes a meandering road.

Zero Robin

Chapter 5

Rush Robin

The dropped from the garage of the skyferry, the thirty racers took their positions near the starting behind the starting line. Cries of anticipation, support, and challenge radiated from the stands that surrounded the starting zone. These were the expensive seats, with nary a casual eye to be found in their midst. Only fans and rivals could be found here. The purity of it all made it very easy for Levin to keep smiling for his fans. Even when he ceased his obligatory waving and sealed his cockpit closed his smile only lessened slightly as he switched the _Astro Robin's_ engines to level 2.

In moments, all of the racer's machines were humming with power, ravenously awaiting the signal to start. A raucous combination of ecstatic cheers and thunderous engines reverberated through the clouds above Mute City when the signal was given.

Levin relished the sudden acceleration as the _Astro Robin _entered engine level 3. He continued to accelerate through the first turn of the track, taking it wide, but managing to hold his position at thirteenth, though he could see in the rear view monitor that a blue long snouted ship was already closing in. _"Someone's impatient" _Levin thought as he positioned himself at the center of the straight-away that followed the turn. He kept a steady pressure on the accelerator causing _Astro Robin's_ purr to smoothly rise in pitch. Just ahead of him was Octoman in his red machine, as well as a fast approaching break in the road. The world around him was a blur as Levin reached the gap. He nudged the nose of his machine forward slightly, cutting through the air with ease and passing Octoman in process. In the S-curve that followed, Levin managed to weave his way up two more places, with the blue machine (named _Cosmic Dolphin_ if Levin remembered correctly) right on his tail.Gently edging the _Astro Robin _through the upside down corkscrew Twist Road was named for, Levin rested a hand upon the gear shift. _Lap one and no mishaps._ Levin noted as he approached the finish line._ Not that it matters. Two and three are where the real race starts._

Sure enough, as Levin shifted to level 4, the collective roar of F-zero boosters rose to an even higher level. Engine cries of all pitches and dynamics filled the air as Lap two began. Had Levin not had the presence of mind to slam his booster activation as well he'd have surely been left in the dust. He let the thrust carry him through the first turn, sliding closer to positions nine and ten: Pico and BioRex. _Here we go_ Levin thought, as he activated the boost once more at the exit of the turn. _Gotta get past them without getting killed._ He boosted again, sidling up next to Rex on the right. Levin risked a glance over at the other driver whose reptilian visage registered what Levin thought was annoyance. Just to be sure Levin made a face before returning his gaze to the road. _Come on, you know you want to. _Suddenly Rex thrust his ship towards Levin for a sideswipe, shields energized for maximum damage. However, Jack was ready for this action, braking just enough for Rex to fly past him into the side of the track. As soon as he did this, the _Cosmic Dolphin_, having waited through the entirety of lap one for a moment like this thrust past Jack. The _Dolphin's_ lead was short lived though, as Pico didn't even give it a chance to sidle up to him. He hit his right air brake hard and turned into a spin, becoming a two ton dervish. The _Dolphin _was thrown skyward as Pico crashed hard into its snout. Now it was Levin's turn to take advantage of the moment, as he boosted under the airborne F-zero machine and snuck by the still spinning Pico. This boost took Levin over the break in the road and incidentally, two other racers who'd dipped their noses too deep.

Now he was in position seven, closing in on the bottom half of the top six. Just ahead of him were Red Gazelle, Kate and a ship he recognized as Blood Falcon's. _Falcon's clone. _Levin noted as he prepared to slide through the oncoming S-curve. His grip on _Astro Robin's _wheel tightened as he gathered his resolve. _He's nothing compared to the original. _The left air brake hissed like a viper as Levin slid halfway into the first turn. Just, ahead of him, Gazelle in his shard shaped machine managed to line himself up for an almost straight line through the S-curve, pulling ahead of Kate, who'd done the same as Levin. Levin smirked as he watched Kate activate her boost at the start of the second turn and followed suite. The _Super Piranha_ flew across the center of the turn, catching itself with its air brakes a pulling a tight half-circle around Gazelle's ship to end up in front of him. Gazelle had no time to react however,as the _Astro Robin _followed the _Super Piranha's_ path across the center of the second curve with a slight deviation. Jack angled his machine so that it led with its left side and caught Gazelle on the right. Gazelle's machine didn't take the push so well, careening sidelong into the shield rails that lined the course. _Sorry Gazelle_. Levin thought irreverently as Gazelle got overtaken by two other racers in the rear view monitor.

Levin gunned his boosters once more, keeping a car's length between him and Kate as they closed in on Blood Falcon and his square shaped _Blood Hawk_. Levin could almost see her mischievous smile as Kate waggled the _Super Piranha's _tail at him. _Alright Kate, I'll follow your lead for a bit _Levin thought. He gave no indication other than holding his position behind her. That was enough. They exited the spiral with only two car lengths between them and fourth place. The top three were barely in view as they crossed the finish line. _Final Lap Levin. Don't choke. You can do this. All you've got to do is place. Top six. Top six. _Despite Levin's thoughts on the matter, Kate wasn't content to just place in top six. An ambition she expressed on the first turn of the track. The _Blood Hawk _took the turn a little too widely, leaving just enough space for a _Super Piranha_ to squeeze through. An opportunity that Kate couldn't pass up. She cut the corner sharply and came dangerously close to the shield railing. Levin followed her through the turn, but wasn't as fortunate, as Blood Falcon had become irate. The clone slammed into Levin, crushing him against the railing. Levin gritted his teeth. _No! I'm so close. I can't choke now_. Thinking fast Jack hit the boost and hammered the left air brake. This caused his ship's tail to swing out with enough force to throw Blood Falcon to the center of the straightaway that followed the turn. Not wanting to stay in the vicinity of an angry _Blood Hawk_, Levin boosted immediately. The clone wasn't about to let Jack escape, however, regaining control and charging after Levin, boosters screaming ravenously. At this point, Levin's shields were in bad shape. One more boost would deplete them entirely. He desperately needed time to recharge them. A boost now would mean no more for the rest of the race. He couldn't hold a top position like that, but he wouldn't get a top position if he didn't finish the race either. Now Blood Falcon was a car length away, which was kill distance for him. At least that was what Levin remembered from past races. He wouldn't find out whether he'd remembered correctly or not as a whirling green and red blur came into view just ahead. Levin had barely enough time to move out of her way as Kate gyrated towards him. Blood Falcon had no time at all. She bashed his ship hard in the nose, causing it to flip end over end and smash hard into the road. Whatever hopes Blood Falcon had for this race were dashed in that instant.

_Thanks Kate_. Levin thought as he coasted down the straightaway and let his shields recharge. Now he was in fourth, and positions three through one were no longer in view. _Fourth is good. It's in the top six. I can deal with that. _He tried to smile contentedly but then remembered Captain Falcon's words from his dream: '_You'll never be good enough'_. Suddenly, Jack couldn't smile anymore. _I am good enough. I know I am. _

'_Prove it.'_

Those words, whether they were from Falcon himself, or the mechanizations of Levin's overactive imagination, did it. Suddenly, nothing else would do. Jack wanted first. Needed first. There was no other ending that would satisfy him. His eye's became hard and focused as he licked his lips and grasped the gear shifter. _Level 5. Sorry Robin but I need you to give me everything you've got. Hold together for me._ And with that he shifted to the fifth and final gear. The hum of the machine's shields stopped as all of their energy was rerouted to the engines. Shields gone, Levin could very clearly hear the wind whipping at the hull of the _Astro Robin_. Any damage now would be done directly to the body of the ship, severely lowering its survivability. However, the super charged engines raised its maximum speed astronomically. Jack could feel the inertia as the _Astro Robin_ got faster and faster. He was going to feel every turn and brake at this speed. The ship and suit could only do so much. Now more than ever; he could kill himself. Very easily. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that, but he didn't care.

The _Astro Robin _practically flew across the break in the road, Levin wrestling her back down to the road. He felt the landing as the _Robin's_ entire frame shuddered harshly. There was barely enough time to register that he was fast approaching the S-curve and third place. Levin had to wrench the wheel hard to even catch the far end of the turn. He slid through the turn, struggling against inertia to keep his body in one piece and his eyes on the road. He was thrown against the side of his cockpit as he hit the left brake and redirected his slide. The _Robin_ fought ferociously against Levin's control, trying desperately to spin out. It took all of his might to keep her steady, but he still ended up catching the edge of the turn. And suddenly, he realized he was in second place, steadily encroaching on first. . It became a battle between him and the road as he struggled to be gentle, but firm with the _Robin_, navigating the slowly spiraling road. His blood was starting to leave the important parts of his body as they continued to accelerate through the winding road. His fingers went numb as the world turned upside down. The horizon ahead seemed to take forever to right itself, as Levin fought with all his might to keep consciousness. No one would ever be able to convince him that it had only lasted for two seconds. Then suddenly, he was out of the spiral, right-side up and barreling towards the finish line. And just as suddenly the race was over, at which point, Levin quickly disengaged the fifth gear, and, after narrowly managing to slide through the turn that immediately followed the finish line, coasted down to a relatively safe speed. He was practically thrumming with adrenaline as he took the _Astro Robin _back down to third gear. He let out a sigh of relief, realizing that he was grinning quite vicariously.

"That was dangerous" These were the only words he could manage for a while, the manic grin lessening to a relieved smile. It wasn't until he finished his victory lap and exited his machine in front of the crowd that he realized that he'd won the race.


	6. 261st Avenue

I do not own F-Zero nor do I intend to garner profit from the use of its characters.

Zero Robin

Chapter 6

261st Avenue

Jack was barely standing, not for weakness, but for the excess adrenaline that was still rushing through his veins. Yet it was not the adrenaline high that had him in a daze at the moment (though it did help).

Looking out across those grandstands with his picture on their view screens and the crowd that was chanting his name over and over felt unreal to him. To think that he'd actually earned their cheers today. That these cheers were not for Jack Levin the pop-star, but Jack Levin the racer. This wasn't notoriety through popularity. This was victory through polished ability.

"_I did it" _Levin grinned heartily, for once wearing a real smile for all his fans. _"First Place!"_

He thrust his fists triumphantly in to the air, and was about to make a joyous cry of victory, but stopped himself. Letting his smile fade to a smug grin, the pop-star crossed his arms, taking a cool and collected stance. Even if he was truly happy at the moment, he still had an image to keep up.

He kept this display up as the other top six racers left their machines: Samurai Goroh, Black Shadow, Lily Flyer, Zoda, and Jody Foster. The crowd roared with each racer's appearance, only adding to the glorious feeling Levin had.

"_Not only did I make it, but I beat Black Shadow and Samurai Goroh. Two top contenders"_ Levin thought as he returned to his vehicle. _"Of course I couldn't have done it without you Robin. Thanks for another great race"_

Levin sobered a bit when he brought the _Astro Robin_ into the skyferry's parking garage. _"That was number one. Four more to go." _He gave his machine an affectionate pat _"You've still got it in you right? Cause I know I do." _

"Am I interrupting?"

Levin whirled about to face the familiar voice. "Ah! Don't do that."

Kate giggled mirthfully, "That never gets old."

Levin gave her a mocking scowl "Come on, you almost made me scratch the paint job."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Never did understand why you cared about your machine so much."

Jack smiled "Well, she did just win me first place."

"That's true" Kate chuckled "I'll have to try talking to my machine like that next time."

"Was I talking out loud?" Jack asked worriedly

Kate's expression became serious as she let a dead silence fall on the conversation. More worry flowed into Jack's visage. "Was I?"

"Gotcha." Kate declared with a riotous grin. "Man, you are so uptight. You should loosen up a little. It's not like the fans are gonna hate you if they know you're a little strange."

Jack laughed. "You might be right about that, but I don't think I'll test that theory."

"Fair enough, Jack-o." Kate said, circling back to her machine. She laid a hand on her _Super Piranha_ mimicking Jack exactly. "Win the next one for me okay?"

Jack smirked "Oh, you just love to rub it in."

"Yeah I do" Kate replied "By the way, you should try to win the next one too Jack-o. I can't stand one-hit wonders." With that she made her way to the garage exit

"Huh" Jack said as he watched her leave for the lounge. "Didn't even ask for a thank-you."

He'd have to remember to thank her when he got the chance. She'd also been a factor in his victory. Perhaps before the next race...

Returning to Mute City amongst the cheers of many ravenous fans, Jack knew he wasn't going to be getting a moments peace if he immediately returned to the condo. So, after answering a few questions from the press and signing a couple autographs, he had Luke meet him in the parking garage with a newly purchased used car, as well as his wide brimmed hat and overcoat.

"Such preparations, Mr. Levin." Luke noted as he handed Jack the overcoat "One would believe you're about to risk your reputation or something silly like that."

"You know me, Luke." Levin replied, dawning the overcoat "Always walking the line."

"Indeed." Luke noted, as he handed Jack his hat. "One would wonder how you've lasted this long."

Jack chuckled as he put on the hat "I owe you big, Luke."

"Well, I think the salary I'm paid is a fair enough reward." Luke said as he gestured for Jack to enter the car. "Now, we haven't got all day."

Levin nodded as he entered the car "Right."

The façade in place (and a paid temp chauffeur making his way to the condo in Levin's limo) Luke ferried Jack down to the harsher side of town in the 200 streets. In particular they stopped at a junk yard on 261st Avenue.

"So I take it you prefer the likes of ruffians to adoring fans?" Luke queried as he followed Jack into the junk yard.

"When they give good advice?" Jack replied "Yeah, I like that kind of company better."

"A fair judgment I suppose." Luke said with a nod "You'll excuse me if I don't refrain from carrying a firearm in this situation anyways."

Jack nodded "I guess they wouldn't consider you as a part of the family."

A deep baritone voice rumbled in response "That's where you're wrong old friend."

Both Luke and Jack turned to the source of the voice, Michael Chain sitting atop a fairly high heap of junk.

"You see Jack here is our Little Lightning. Though he ain't so little anymore" Chain said as he leapt down to the ground "That you saw fit to take care of him in his absence, makes you family."

"I'm flattered, really" Luke replied dryly "Can you not see that I'm just giddy with untamable joy?"

Chain chuckled jutting a thumb at Luke. "I like this guy. He's got balls"

Luke frowned disgustedly "I suppose that's one way to put it"

"Ah but where are my manners." Chain said, with a welcoming bow. "Vaunted guests such as yourselves need a proper place to talk." He started toward the center of the junkyard beckoning the others to follow. "I think the digs at the chop shop'll do."

"Lead the way Mr. Chain." Levin said, mimicking Chain's bow.

"Its just Chain, kid." Michael called over his shoulder "Just Chain."

Levin smiled as he moved to follow the leader of the Bloody Chain gang but stopped when he realized that Luke had refrained.

"Chop. Shop. Mr. Levin?" Luke asked incredulously.

Jack shrugged "I walk the line."

Luke brought a hand to his forehead, a resigned smile on his visage "I suppose I should've seen that one coming."

A few twists and turns through the yard later, Chain motioned for everyone to stop.

"Well, this is it boys." Chain said as he gestured to a rather large mound of junk near the back of the yard.

Luke frowned disapprovingly. "You must be joking."

Jack smiled knowingly "Wait for it."

Chain chuckled as he rested his hand in the center of an old twentieth century steering wheel that was snugly lodged inside the remains of an old combustion engine. A moment later, a light beep came from the wheel, causing Chain to step back.

"Might wanna step back a little, boys" Chain said with a smug grin "The door's a little deceptive."

Luke opened his mouth to inquire on what Chain meant by deceptive, but was interrupted by Jack's outstretched arm which pulled him back a few paces.

Suddenly, a seam formed in the ground before them, expanding into a modestly sized rectangular hole down which a long steel stairwell extended. A pair of large black metal doors lay at the end of the pathway, where the underground path became greater in width. These implements all had a much newer sheen to them than anything in the junkyard.

Levin threw Chain an approving grin. "This is way more than the Model T entry I remember."

"A lot can happen in eight years kid." Chain replied "The Model T chases were on their last legs when you first got here. I only kept it cause you and the younger guys liked it so much."

"No room for nostalgia old man?"

"Not when that nostalgia's falling a part at the seams." Chain nudged his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose. "Besides, I needed a more subtle entry for my expanded operations."

Luke snorted "Subtle he says"

Levin's expression became serious "'Expanded operations', huh?"

Chain nodded, seriousness filtering into his visage as well "Well, I didn't open this up for nothing right. Come on down before anyone sees you. We've go a lot of catching up to do."

Levin nodded and followed Chain down the stairwell, leaving Luke behind with worry, intrigue, excitement and annoyance all crossing his visage before he settled on impassiveness.

"Never a dull moment." Luke noted as he followed Chain and Levin into the floor below.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally updated

More on the way...

Let me know the quality of this installment, if you please.


	7. Memory Lane

I do not own F-Zero nor do I intend to garner profit from the use of its characters.

Zero Robin

Chapter 7

Memory Lane

The black doors at the end of the underground stairwell opened to reveal a moderately large silver hued garage whose metallic walls were marred with telltale tinges of oil and grease. Eight chop stations stood on each side of black grated center path that Levin, Luke and Chain stood upon. Two of them were in use, each manned by a cadre of rough looking individuals. A few of them acknowledged Chain and his guests, but immediately went back to work.

"_Guess I couldn't expect anyone to recognize me." _Levin thought as he took in the old garage_. "Most of the guys I knew moved on to other things. I know I did." _

Levin smiled nostalgically. Even the savviest of reporters had never guessed where Levin had actually been discovered as a racer. This was a good thing, considering they were fairly humble beginnings.

His family had been fairly poor from the start. His father leaving for venues unknown and his mother coming down with the Gonskie Flu didn't make things any easier. With two sisters, mounting debts and dwindling money, it was getting harder and harder for them to live. This was what had prompted Jack to start looking for employment at the tender age of ten. Being under age, Jack only managed to get odd jobs that were spotty at best. They certainly didn't give enough to pay rent. It was a good thing his two older sisters were working three jobs each to cover their mother's expenses.

It was on his way back from one of these Jack's odd jobs that he got started on his first "employment opportunity". A mugger tried to steal Jack's hard earned money in an alley near 261st street. A member of the Bloody Chain gang, who happened to be patrolling the area at the time, saw this and promptly beat the mugger senseless, returning the money to a cowering Jack Levin.

When Jack regaled his mother on the day's happenings she told him that he should thank whoever it was that had rescued him. People who cared about others were quite rare these days. Levin agreed with little reservation. He'd forgotten to tell her that his rescuer was a member of the Bloody Chain gang.

So Jack returned to the 261st street alley after another set of odd jobs the next day. Sure enough, the same gang member showed up. She recognized Jack and struck up a conversation with him. Jack was somewhat surprised at the development. He hadn't expected a gang member to be so personable. Her name was Mackenzie Larkson, though everyone just called her "Mac".

In the weeks that followed Levin visited Mac fairly regularly, finding her company to be reassuring in an increasingly disheartening situation. It was inevitable that she would find out why he was doing the odd jobs. The news was quite distressing to the young woman. Believing that what Levin really needed at the moment was money, she offered him an honorary position in the Bloody Chain gang. She was certain he'd make more money doing their kinds of odd jobs.

Jack, though somewhat leery of the idea of joining a gang, trusted Mac. If she said he could make more money, then he would at least give it a shot. His pittance of a salary wasn't doing much to help his sisters or his mother at the moment anyways.

Following this occurrence, Jack began doing courier work with Mac, delivering messages, parts and various other sensitive items to different branches of the Chain gang. The money from these jobs was indeed more than Jack was making before, though it was still going to be a while before he and his sisters were out of debt.

It was during one of his courier jobs that Jack got his first taste of speed. Until this point Mac had refrained from taking Jack on any jobs that involved other organizations. She always felt the danger was too high. However, Jack, now somewhat curious and a little more confident than he was before, followed her anyway.

A series of unfortunate events occurred that forced Levin to take the wheel of a hovercar and ferry an injured Mac back to a nearby hospital, losing his pursuers along the way. Jack, though inexperienced caught on to how to control the machine fairly quickly with Mac's guidance. And while it was a nerve racking experience, Jack found that he enjoyed it. The fervor, the tension, the adrenaline, all of it.

His adventure didn't go unnoticed by the gang either. Michael Chain, the gang's F-zero representative, was called in to Mute City to size Levin up. Chain originally wasn't too keen on the idea of letting a ten year old even join the gang, even if Mac spoke quite highly of the kid.

However, Levin's home situation reminded him very much of his own, Chain having lost both his parents to a drive by shooting. If things kept going as they were with Levin's family, Jack and his sisters would be in exactly the same situation that Chain was in his youth: Desperate and alone without a chance at a future.

That was one thing he wouldn't let happen. Couldn't let happen. Not so long as he had a chance to fix it. So Chain took Levin under his wing, bequeathing unto him a refurbished machine from the early days of hovercar technology. Its name was the _Astro Robin_.

The years went by with Levin learning the basics of racing from Chain and becoming one of the Bloody Chain's rising stars. While Levin always raced against Chain in the _Astro Robin_ he raced in a different, more up to date machine when they were challenged by other organizations and gangs. Driving a yellow machine much like Chain's _Wild Boar_ and always wearing a helmet or some form of masking head gear when he raced, Levin became known as Little Lightning on the illegal racing scene.

However, when his sisters discovered how Levin's earnings had skyrocketed, it didn't take them long to discover that he was indeed the Little Lightning. They confronted Chain on the matter, asking for him to stop training Levin. If he continued on this road, he'd become a common thug, which was something they knew wouldn't sit well with their mother.

Chain, though somewhat hesitant, allowed Levin to leave the gang on the premise that Levin had only ever been an honorary member. However, as a final payment for his fine work Chain got the gang to give the _Astro Robin_ one last overhaul before letting Levin keep it. By that time Levin was fourteen years old.

Though that avenue of acquiring money was closed, Jack's sisters were inspired by the fame their brother gained during his time as the Little Lightning.

"_It seemed like such an outlandish idea. Becoming a pop-star. Yet, Jessebelle and Alicia knew what the younger female fans wanted. It was little trouble for them to mold me into a teen idol. With their PR, all I had to do was sing and pose for the cameras." _Levin smiled to himself _"And the money just kept rolling in."_

"Hey, kid, you still awake in there?" Chain asked as he knocked on Jack's head

"Huh?" Jack blinked realizing that they'd reached the double doors at the other end of the garage. "Sorry, kinda spaced out there."

"_I don't remember these doors."_ Levin thought absently as he rubbed his head.

Chain shook his head. "Always did have a lot on your mind."

"Speaking of that." Luke chimed in "Why exactly are we here, Levin? I doubt this man has much to offer you."

Jack smiled "Well, when Chain gave me the _Astro Robin, _I promised I'd visit him when I took first in a Grand Prix race."

Chain gave a knowing nod. "Yeah, I saw. Good job on that."

Jack's smile lessened. "You don't sound very enthused."

"Yeah" Chain said with a weary sigh. "I have my reasons for that."

"Seems that you both have a bit on your minds." Luke noted crossing his arms. "I wonder, should I even be here?"

"No, you should be here." Chain replied "As his most trusted advisor, assistant and confidant, you're going to need to know about this too."

"Again you flatter this humble man." Luke replied dryly "I suppose there is an appointed place and time at which you will divulge this highly volatile information?"

Chain gestured to the double doors. "Step into my office."

"Sure thing." Jack replied as he made his way to the doors, with Luke close behind him. The young racer frowned as he entered. Chain never beat around the bush this much before. Something was definitely up.

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I took a lot of creative liberties with the lore here. Mostly filling in the blanks left by the character bios.

So don't forget to tell what you think.

Inquiring minds want to know.


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